Chapter 4

Selene's POV

Dante stared at me as I sat up a bit more in the comfortable bed, my thoughts filled everything that had just been revealed. My eyes locked onto Dante’s, as I waited for him to speak.

Dante leaned back in his chair, folding his arms. “My child will be very powerful, Selene. A rare mix of mere wolf and an Alpha King. Very few manage to get pregnant with this combination, and even fewer women survive the pregnancy to carry it to full term.” I swallowed hard, trying to absorb his words.

“So, our baby… might not just be an ordinary werewolf?”

“Exactly. This child could have abilities that no one else has. They might even play a crucial role in the future of my pack,” he explained, his voice steady. “That’s why I need to make sure you’re comfortable and protected at all times.”

“Comfortable?” I scoffed, some anger bubbling under the surface. “What if I don’t even want to have this child?”

Dante frowned, his expression serious.

“What do you mean? This child is part of you, part of me. You  have a responsibility now.”

“Everyone seems to be talking as if I forced things on myself today. How lovely. I know, but I can’t just do this without thinking it through,” I replied, feeling trapped.

“I can’t go through life being forced to have a child.” My mind went back to the sight of Hunter and Anna.

Dante remained silent for a moment, watching me closely. “What are you saying, Selene?” he asked, his tone gentle.

I took a deep breath, weighing my words. “If I’m going to have this child, you need to marry me during this time period.” I looked him directly in the eye.

“It’s only fair.”

“Marry you?” Dante repeated, taken aback.

“You really want that?”

“Yes!” I said, feeling more anxious. Did he want to say no?! “It’s the only way I can feel secure. I need to know I won’t be alone in this or dumped or attacked.”

“Okay, I can agree to that,” he replied, nodding slowly. “But isn't there something else you need to tell me? What happened to your husband?” I hesitated, my fingers fidgeting with the blanket.

“My husband, Hunter… he was cheating on me. With my sister, Anna.” Dante’s eyes widened in disbelief.

“What? I’m so sorry you went through that, Selene.”

“It hurts more than I can say,” I admitted, my voice dropping. “I thought I could trust him, but I was wrong. I just found out before all of this happened.”

“That’s awful,” Dante said, his voice filled with sympathy. Was it sincere or an act?

“You deserve so much better.”

“Thank you,” I said, relief washing over me.

“This situation is already overwhelming. I just need someone I can rely on.”

“Then I will be that someone,” Dante promised, leaning forward. “I will make sure you’re taken care of, and I will marry you, if that’s what you want.”

“Really?” I asked, a mix of hope and disbelief in my tone. Did he want anything more? No one would want a pregnant woman would they?

“Yes, really. For now, let’s consider it an engagement,” he replied, a small smile forming on his lips.

“We can figure everything else out as we go.”

“Thank you, Alpha,” I said, feeling a slight sense of comfort wrap around me. “This means a lot.”

“It's Dante now and of course. You don’t have to thank me. I’ll always be there for you and my child,” he states and I bite back a wave of bitter realization. He wanted to keep me for this baby.

“Will you really? You mean it?” I asked, wanting to confirm.

“I do,” he assured me, looking deeply into my eyes. “From this moment on, I’ll be your protector and partner. We’ll face everything together.”

“Alright, then let’s make this deal work. I will do this for the baby, for me.”

“Exactly. We will do this together. I will keep you safe. Just then, my phone buzzed on the bedside table. I reached for it, my heart racing. It was a message from Emily this time around. “Are you okay? We are worried about you.”

I glanced at Dante then back at my phone. “I can’t believe they care so much. They’ve been with me through so much.”

“Good friends are hard to come by,” Dante said. “You should let them know how you are feeling.”

“Yeah, I will,” I replied, taking a moment to text back. “I’m okay. I’m safe here with someone. I'll call you back as soon as possible.”

And I hit send.